Library courtyard will remain closed for the rest of the week

According to a UU spokesperson, the building on Drift 13 was cleaned up yesterday. The university also took the day to assess the damage caused to the building. The spokesperson couldn't comment on the extent of the damage at this stage, but if the deployment of additional security guards and the removal of graffiti on the walls of the Administration Building are taken into account, the costs could reach “thousands of euros”.

Drift 13 is open again today, but the courtyard of the University Library may remain closed for the rest of the week. UU closed the entrance gate to the courtyard right after the activists left Drift 13. The protesters had set up a camp at the University Library for two weeks, which the university tolerated. The activists will be allowed to collect their belongings in the next few days. After that, the courtyard will be cleared.

In a statement published on the university's website, the Executive Board explains why the protest at the University Library was deemed acceptable, but the one on Drift was not. UU called the riot police to remove the protesters from the building. 'During the occupation of Drift 13, education was disrupted, security guards were denied access to the building and fire doors were tied together,' they say in the statement. 

The occupation was terminated on Monday evening due to "unacceptable safety risks" and the disruption of educational activities. "Unfortunately, this required the assistance of the police."

Visitors to the University Library will have to park their bicycles elsewhere this week, as the bicycle parking facilities will also remain closed. It is unknown when the University Library will resume its regular opening hours. The library closed earlier than usual in the past two weeks because of the protest in its courtyard.

Police violence condemned
In a letter to the municipal council, Utrecht Mayor Sharon Dijksma writes that she condemns the violence used by the police against the occupier when evicting the building on Drift 13. She says that the police used “brief violence” against twenty demonstrators who were blocking access to the building. According to Dijksma, this attitude did not follow the instructions officers were given beforehand. She announced that the incident will be investigated further. The activists have announced through their lawyer that they will file a complaint about the police.